School starts this week, and I'm just now starting to feel better. I was hoping to get so much done over the break! I guess we all need things like this to show us that, ultimately, our bodies are in control, not us. That's not to say things like bad eating habits can't be corrected - and I do hope to work on that in 2005 - but when we need to rest and recuperate, that's what we gotta do.

I did find the strength to work on our book collection over the break. While it may not be in the Dewey Decimal System, there is now some order to the library. Hooray. I've also neatened the craft room, sorted out some clothes for Goodwill, and started to unpack the boxes remaining from the move. Yes, we haven't finished unpacking. Shut up, I know I'm lame.

One of my holiday rituals is to get at least one calendar for the new year at 50% off. The past few years I've picked the William Wegman "Man's Best Friend" wall calendar. Those dogs are so sleek, graceful, enigmatic - and patient! For my desk, I selected "Wild Words from Wild Women". While at the bookstore, I picked up three new cookbooks - one on curry, one on bread and breadmaking, and one on low fat cooking. Most of the time when I look at cookbooks, I'm uninspired, but I found a lot of yummy-sounding recipes to try in these.

What was 2004 like for me? Tumultuous, in a word. I settled on a school for my graduate work, uprooted my spouse and dragged him off to another part of the state. I gave up a job I hated for teaching, studying, and less income. It had to be done. I miss my friends, but I like our new home and my new occupation. I have no idea if I'll continue studies beyond my master's; I can't see that far into the future. Time will tell.

Happy 2005, everyone!